NEWS
Fines and prosecutions Landlord handed hefty fine for ‘poor’ HMO fire safety
LETTING AGENT, Lettings of London Ltd, has been fined more than £50,000 after it pleaded guilty to 18 offences relating to two separate houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). Welwyn Hatfield Times reported
on the prosecution of Lettings of London Ltd, after Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council (WHBC) officers carried out initial inspections of the two properties in Goldings Crescent last year. They discovered ‘deficiencies’ including that fire safety equipment in both HMOs had ‘not been maintained in good working order’, and the company was accused of a total of 18 offences, relating largely to fire safety. These included no working
fire alarms or fire blankets at either property; fire door self closers not working; emergency lighting not working; and on a non fire safety basis, there were both ‘loose coping stones and rusted metal handrails’ on an external staircase outside one of the two houses. The company responded in mitigation that the HMOs were ‘in a good state of repair and regularly
inspected’, with any issues ‘rectified in good time’. It also alleged that tenants had caused ‘some of the issues’, and produced testimonies from ‘satisfied’ tenants. Nevertheless, the company pleaded guilty to the 18 offences at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court, and was fined £42,596 and ordered to pay costs of £10,626 to the council, in addition to a victim surcharge of £170.
Simone Russell, corporate director
at WHBC, commented: ‘This is the second case this year with one of the largest fines we have seen for
offences relating to HMO properties. These were serious breaches of the law and could have led to severe injury or worse. Everyone should feel confident when renting a property in Welwyn Hatfield and it’s important that we send a clear message to the small number of landlords who compromise the safety of their tenants – we will always act to protect our residents. ‘Landlords can join our council-
run accreditation scheme, PAL, which makes it easier for landlords to [...] meet high standards of management practice.’
RAYMOND MCSWEENEY and Ankor Limited were separately fined after being convicted of breaching both fire and electrical safety rules at houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Colchester. Gazette News reported on the
prosecution of both Mr McSweeney and Ankor Limited in separate trials concerning different properties at Colchester Magistrates Court, after both properties were found to have breached fire and electrical safety regulations relating to HMOs. Mr McSweeney was prosecuted over a blocked fire escape, exposed electrical wiring, ‘extensive’ mould growth in a shared bathroom, ‘general disrepair’ in communal areas and ‘unhygienic conditions’. For these breaches at the
property in Mile End, he was fined £3,100 and ordered to pay £3,998
Two prosecutions over HMO fire safety costs alongside a victim surcharge of £35, though he ‘denied’ he had contravened any laws, and argued there was an ‘abuse of process in bringing the charges against him’. Both his prosecution and that of Ankor Limited were undertaken by Colchester Council, with the second case against the London based property management company over HMO regulations breaches at two properties. These properties, in St Mary’s Fields in the town, had a combined total of 36 HMO regulations breaches identified, including fire and electrical safety regulations, while the housing conditions in both properties ‘did not meet the necessary standards required by legislation’. Tenants lived with no hot water or heating, ‘accumulations’ of
16 JUNE 2019
www.frmjournal.com
household waste, electrical hazards and ‘poor’ property maintenance, alongside the fire safety issues. The concerned tenants contacted the council in November 2017, after attempts to contact the company ‘were ignored’, and Ankor Limited was also said to have ‘failed to provide’ electrical and gas safety certificates for both properties ‘when requested by the council’. It is set to be sentenced in July, with a new property manager now appointed by the buildings’ owner. Council housing boss Tina Bourne added: ‘The breaches at these properties left more than a dozen tenants living in unsafe living conditions, which put them at risk in their homes. Colchester Council is committed to improving standards of private sector housing.’
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